NHTSA Upgrades Safety Probe Into 159,000 Tesla Vehicles
On Monday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced it would be upgrading a probe into almost 159,000 Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles relating to touchscreen/memory issues that could result in a failure to comply with federal standards.
U.S. regulatory mandates stipulate that modern vehicles be required to have rear-camera displays to aid drivers traveling in reverse. The expanded investigation has tripled in size and now encompasses 2012-2018 model year Tesla Model S and 2016-2018 Model X vehicles, which may be eligible for a recall if the NHTSA sees fit.
From Reuters:
The flash devices have a finite lifespan based on the number of programs or erase cycles, NHTSA said.
Some complaints said failures could result in loss of charging ability and that other safety alerts could be impacted. One driver said he could not clear fogged windows because he could not change climate controls.
In total, NHTSA said it has reviewed 12,523 claims and complaints about the issue, which would impact roughly 8 percent of the vehicles under investigation.
Tesla said it has received 2,399 complaints and field reports, 7,777 warranty claims, and 4,746 non-warranty claims related to MCU replacements.
Many complaints said Tesla requires owners to pay to replace the unit once warranties expire.
It’s a rather serious problem but the major issue for the NHTSA is that it effectively causes the vehicles to be at odds with the legal vehicle standards that require backup displays on all vehicles. While Tesla’s rearward-facing cameras haven’t gone anywhere, it’s of no use if it cannot be displayed on the center screen. The company has launched numerous over-the-air updates to remedy MCU burnout but it will be up to regulators to see if the changes have done enough to avoid a recall.
[Image: Jag_cz/Shutterstock]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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So...if you own a vehicle with a factory rear view camera and it for some reason stops working, will it fail a state safety inspection? It's always been the rule that if an exterior light exists on a vehicle, it must light (assuming it's DOT approved). If a camera exists on a vehicle, must it operate?
Tesla owners who have paid $$$ for MCU replacements ought to be compensated by Tesla, but it will probably require a class-action lawsuit. This is one reason to avoid a used Tesla - you could be looking at a sudden $500-1500 repair.